According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, approximately 10.8 million car accidents occur each year. Getting into a car accident can be physically and mentally stressful for the body. An accident does not only affect your neck and lower back, it also results in whiplash, headaches, shoulder, jaw pain and post concussion symptoms. It’s very important to understand how your body can be affected after a motor vehicle accident and the steps you can take to make sure you can be as healthy as you can be after the accident.
One of the most common symptoms associated with whiplash is neck pain.
The forceful impact of a car accident can cause tearing or stretching of the soft tissues which hold the spine together. This form of ‘shear’ force can cause an unnatural movement of the spine and may result in damage to the ligaments in the neck. Recent studies from the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation have also shown that force resulting from motor vehicle accidents is also applied significantly to the lumbar (lower back) region. It is also common for health care practitioners to see reports of whiplash patients experiencing TMJ pain.
Often times, symptoms do not present immediately after the collision and can be delayed for weeks or even months. Because of this, it is very important to consult a medical professional on your condition following a motor vehicle accident. Chiropractic care is one of the few modalities used to help fix motor-vehicle accident induced injuries, such as whiplash.
One of San Francisco’s premier personal injury attorneys, Al Stoll, witnesses dozens of victims of motor vehicle accident trauma each day with lingering symptoms. “The biggest problem I see post MVA clients is letting the pain lead to guarding, deconditioning, and loss of strength, which all lead to more pain and further disability,” Al says. “In my experience, seeing a chiropractor as soon as possible post accident allows an injured person to resume their normal and pain free routine faster and also helps prevent the body entering a commonly seen downward spiral towards chronic pain.”
Studies have shown that exercises and various stretches of the neck can be used as an adjunct with chiropractic care to effectively reduce subjective pain and disability, while strengthening surrounding muscles.
If you have recently been involved in a traffic collision, be sure to file an accident report and understand what your automobile insurance benefits entails. It is also imperative to consult a medical professional to ensure there are no residual symptoms lingering from the initial trauma. For the month of March, our office will be raising awareness for Motor Vehicle Accident induced whiplash injuries. Complimentary consultation and chiropractic treatment will be offered for individuals who have recently been in a car accident. For more information, Click here
